“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” – Michelle Obama
Get ready to be inspired! March 8th marks International Women’s Day, a global celebration of women’s achievements and progress. But it doesn’t stop there – the entire month of March is dedicated to Women’s History Month, recognizing the remarkable contributions of women throughout history and in modern times.
In any workplace, diversity is essential to success. Women make up nearly half of the workforce, yet only 26% of all jobs in the technology industry are held by women. OnActuate is a global tech company that believes in putting people first year-round – read about our ongoing DEI efforts here – but every March we make an extra effort to bring awareness to these powerful honorary observances.
March is not the only time of the year OnActuate seeks to recognize the achievements and struggles of women in tech. Learn more about our SHE – Share Her Excellence – initiative and the actionable steps we’re taking to eliminate the barriers holding women back in their careers.
The importance of mentorship
We spoke to some of the many strong women who have contributed towards tech and innovation at OnActuate about their experiences working in the tech industry.
“The industry has come a long way and the flexible work arrangements now in place in most organizations are a big help to women and parents,” said Marnie Larson, VP of HCM. “More could be done to help develop women in leadership roles. Providing access to appropriate training and internal learning opportunities would help, as would internal mentorship programs.”
Marnie has spearheaded a Women in Leadership mentorship program for OnActuate to foster more women leaders within the company. As part of this program, women at OnActuate who have an interest in becoming leaders and managers are paired with other women leaders to discuss their careers and find ways to foster growth.
TK Seethalakshmi, Sales Enablement Lead, advises women in tech find a mentor. “Interacting with positive role models who want to help you become successful can be a game changer. Our Women in Leadership program is an excellent initiative to cultivate OnActuate’s women team members into management and leadership roles within the company.”
Programs like this are not just a great opportunity for women to grow their careers, but also for women to build a supportive network based on shared experiences within their own company.
Advice for women in tech
About 30% of OnActuate’s culturally diverse workforce are women, and we aim to work towards increasing that number. A dynamic workforce that innovates and includes diversity is important to us because our world is filled with people of all different backgrounds. In order for collaboration to be efficient, the voices of all people need to be heard and respected.
Sunshita Ganjoo, a functional consultant, advises that women in tech should, “Stand high and value the spirit of independence within yourself. Keep learning and keep growing in every situation!” Similarly, Sayali Agashe, a functional consultant, recommends that women should, “Be open to change and try to focus on building knowledge through learning.”
OnActuate values the diverse workforce we have created, but there is always room for improvement. The technology industry as a whole needs more women’s voices to be heard, and it needs men and leaders to uplift those voices through educating others and supporting equity. We hope our efforts motivate future generations of women to consider working in the tech industry.
Learn more about OnActuate’s core values and people-first philosophy here.
Following is a list of resources for women, by women in technology.
Blogs:
- “Career Guide for Women in Tech”, by BestColleges
Podcasts:
- “Women in Business and Technology”, hosted by Microsoft
Events:
- SHE: Inspire Inclusion 2024, hosted by OnActuate (register for event)
- 2023 International Women’s Day Panel, hosted by OnActuate (on-demand)
- Women in Tech Summit
- Grace Hopper Celebration
- Women in Tech Festival
Organizations:
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2021 and has been updated in February 2024 for comprehensiveness.
